A molded circuit breaker having an interchangeable operating mechanism to accommodate circuit breakers of differing ampere ratings is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 817,213 filed Jan. 8, 1986. The Application describes the arrangement of the operating mechanism with the circuit breaker trip unit and movable contact arm to separate circuit breaker contacts upon the occasion of an overcurrent condition through the contacts. This application is incorporated herein for purposes of reference.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 061,244, filed Jun. 12, 1987 entitled "Molded Case Circuit Breaker Accessory Enclosure" describes an integrated circuit breaker having both overcurrent protection as well as at least one auxiliary accessory function. The circuit breaker accessory is contained in a recess formed within the circuit breaker cover. This Application is also incorporated herein for reference purposes.
When such accessory devices are mounted within a circuit breaker enclosure, separate wire conductors lead from the circuit breaker enclosure to a remote location. When the accessory function comprises an auxiliary switch or a shunt trip accessory, the separate wire conductors allow remote signal indication or remote tripping of the circuit breaker for test purposes. In order to prevent damage to both the accessory as well as the circuit breaker enclosure by intentional or inadvertent excess tension forces applied to the external wire conductors, some means of "strain relief" must be provided within the circuit breaker enclosure. A known means of reducing the effect of ordinary tension forces on an accessory mounted within a circuit breaker enclosure is to trap the wire conductors between the cover and case of the circuit breaker enclosure. When excessive tension force is applied to the wire conductors, the circuit breaker cover becomes damaged. The damage to the circuit breaker cover can seriously affect the integrity of the components contained within the circuit breaker case and hence result in a potentionally unsafe condition. The unsafe circuit breaker condition is not readily discovered when the wire conductors lead to a remote location out of sight of the circuit breaker itself.
One purpose of the instant invention accordingly, is to provide a strain relief mechanism that is mounted within the circuit breaker enclosure and which prevents excess tension forces on the wire conductors from damaging either the accessory or the circuit breaker enclosure.